Dispensing system for razor blade cartridges

ABSTRACT

The specific disclosure provides a dispensing system for razor blade cartridges comprising a dispenser, a plurality of cartridges in the dispenser, and a holder having a plurality of transverse supporting surfaces on top of a frame member for sliding engagement with surfaces extending transversely of each cartridge. The dispenser has a used cartridge storage end comprising a transverse opening between a used cartridge entrance port in one side wall and a holder exit port in the other side wall. A used cartridge is positioned in the used cartridge storage end through the used cartridge entrance port by means of the holder. The frame member of the holder is moved through the transverse opening to abut a side of the used cartridge against wall surfaces forming the holder exit port. Continued movement of the holder disengages the transverse supporting surfaces of the holder from the used cartridge, and such holder surfaces are removed from the storage end through the holder exit port.

United States Patent [191 Dawidowicz et al.

[ Sept. 10, 1974 1 DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR RAZOR BLADE CARTRIDGESInventors: Jan Dawidowicz, Fairfield; Frank A.

Ferraro, Trumbull, both of Conn,

Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company, Morris Plains, NJ.

Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 Appl. No.: 399,786

I Related US. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 258,682,June 1, 1972, Pat. No. 3,771,223, which is a continuation-in-part ofSer. No. 236,723, March 21 1972, Pat. No. 3,785,051.

US. Cl 30/402, 206/356, 206/359 Int. Cl; B26b 21/24, A45d 27/24 Field ofSearch 30/40, 40.2;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1944 Benjamin 206/356 5/1956Borden 6/1968 Hansom 10/1972 Douglas 30/40 X OTHER PUBLICATIONSInstruction Sheet for Persona Twin Blade System,

American Safety Razor Co., a Division of Philip Morris, Inc.

Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Gary L. SmithAttorney, Agent, or Firm.lames F. Powers, Jr.; Albert H. Graddis [5 7ABSTRACT The specific disclosure provides a dispensing system for razorblade cartridges comprising a dispenser, a plurality of cartridges inthe dispenser, and a holder having a plurality of transverse supportingsurfaces on top of a frame member for sliding engagement with surfacesextending transversely of each cartridge. The dispenser has a usedcartridge storage end comprising a transverse opening between a usedcartridge entrance port in one side wall and a holder exit port in theother side wall. A used cartridge is positioned in the used cartridgestorage end through the used cartridge entrance port by means of th eholder. The

frame member of the holder is moved through the transverse opening toabut a side ofthe u sed cartr idge against wall surfaces forming theholder exit port. Continued movement of the holder disengages thetransverse supporting surfaces of the holder from the used cartridge.and such holder surfaces are removed from the storage end through theholder exit port.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 66 1| 0, H1 ll t'll I I I 365 354 9/PAIENIEB SEN 011m SHEEI 1 BF 2 PAIENIEUSEPIOISH v 3.884.018

SHEET 28! 2 DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR RAZOR BLADE CARTRIDGES CROSS-REFERENCETO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part ofU.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 258,682, filed June 1, 1972, now U.S.Pat. No. 3,771,223 which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of U.S.Pat. application Ser. No. 236,723, filed March 21, 1972, now U.S. Pat.No. 3,785,051.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates to safety razors of a type having at least one bladepermanently bonded in a disposable cartridge. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a dispenser and a dispensing system whichinclude means for storing used razor blade cartridges.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is known to permanently bond a razorblade in or on a disposable cartridge which includes a guard surfacesituated downwardly and outwardly from the cutting edge of the blade.Such cartridges are releasably attached to a handle or holder, and arereplaced on the handle when the cutting edge becomes unsuitable for use.For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,995 discloses double edge blades bondedin plastic and metallic cartridges. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,563,802 and2,800,713 provide single edge blades permanently secured to plastic ormetallic cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831 discloses plasticcartridges with single edge blades, and also cartridge dispensingsystems. The dispensers of U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,831 include means forstoring used cartridges.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thereis provided a razor blade cartridge dispenser comprising a usedcartridge storage end opposite a cartridge dispensing end. The dispenseris used in a shaving system which comprisesa plurality of razor bladecartridges, and a holder. The holder has a plurality of transversesurfaces at an upper end of a frame member. The transverse surfaces areadapted for sliding engagement with transverse slidably engageablesurfaces on each cartridge. The storage end of the dispenser includes aused cartridge entrance port formed in a side wall of the dispenser, aholder exit port formed in another side wall opposite the entrance port,and a transverse opening extending between the entrance port and theholder exit port for passage of the holder frame therethrough. Theholder exit port is dimensioned to permit passage therethrough of thetransverse surfaces on the holder, and to preclude removal of a usedcartridge therethrough. The used cartridge is positioned in the usedcartridge storage end through the used cartridge entrance port by meansof the holder, and the frame member is moved through the transverseopening to remove the-holder transverse surfaces through the holder exitport.

The invention provides an improved cartridge storage means which permits.a user to safely dispose of used cartridges without handling them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view of acartridge and a cartridge holder;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cartridge of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dispenser embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser taken along lines 44of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a movable wallfor the dispenserwith a portion broken away;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another movable wall of thedispenser;

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the dispenser showing the usedcartridge storage end of the dispenser; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7 showingthe used cartridge storage end of the dispenser.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of ablade cartridge 10 and a cartridge holder 12. The blade cartridge 10 hasa pair of double edge blades 38, 40 bonded pennanently between a cap 34and a blade seat member 36. The blades 38, 40 are maintained in aseparated state by a spacer 42. A guard bar 44, 44 is spaced outwardlyfrom opposite longitudinal sides of the blade seat member 36 to providea plurality of downwardly extending shaving residue channels 46 beneaththe cutting edge of the lower blade 40.

The holder 12 includes ahandle 14 to which a frame member 16 is secured.Cartridge supporting surfaces shown as a generally U-shaped flangedchannel member 18, and a stop and spring member 20 are transverselypositioned and secured to an upper end of the frame member 16. Thecartridge 10 is removablysecured to the holder 12 by sliding the flangedU-shaped member 18 into slidably engageable surfaces shown as a T-shapedchannel 32 formed transversely along the underside of the blade seat 36.

With reference to FIG. 2, the cap member 34 has a plurality oftransversely spaced posts 48, 50, 52,54 extending downwardly from thelower surface thereof. The posts 48 54 extend through a slot (not shown)in the upper blade 38, apertures (not shown) in the spacer 42, a slot(not shown) in the lower blade 40, and apertures in the blade seatmember 36. The bottom portions of .the posts 48 54 are staked, forexample, by ultrasonic, mechanical or heat energy, to deform the lowerends as shown in FIG. 4, and thereby bond the components of thecartridge 10 together.

The spacer 42 has a plurality of longitudinally extending teeth on eachend thereof which protrude a slight distance in front of the cuttingedges of the upper blade 38. The teeth have spaces therebetween which aare in flow communication with perforations 58, 60 in the lower blade40. The perforations 58, 60 are in fluid communication with downwardlyextending apertures 76, 78 in the blade seat member 36. Shaving residuegenerated between the cutting edges of the blades 38, 40 passes throughflow paths defined by the spaces between the spacer teeth, theperforations 58,'60, and the apertures 76, 78.

With reference to FIG. 2, the T-shaped channel 32 formed in the lowerside of the blade seat member 36 has a pair of opposing notches 91, 93therein. One of the notches 91, 93 receives a detent 24 on a spring 22of the stop and spring member (FIG. 1) when the cartridge supportingsurfaces or U-shaped member 18 is in sliding engagement with theT-shaped channel 32 to minimize the possibility of the cartridge 10 fromaccidentally sliding off the holder 12.

With reference to FIGS. 3 8, a dispenser 350 has a top wall 352 and anopposing base or bottom wall 351, as well as opposing side walls 353 and354. A new cartridge dispensing end is formed of opposing inwardlydirected flange portions 364, 365 extending transversely of thedispenser 350. As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridges 10, 10 are arranged inabutting relationship in the dispenser 350 and are biased upwardly suchthat opposing inwardly directed members 147, 148, which define theT-shaped channel 32 of the uppermost cartridge 10 are in abuttingengagement with the undersides of the flange portions 364, 365. Thecartridges 10, 10' are biased upwardly by a pair of springs 379 (onlyone shown) extending vertically between a pair of movable walls 371,372. The upper movable wall 372 has downwardly extending side walls 373,374 that are in sliding engagement with the inner surfaces of the topand bottom walls 351, 352 of the dispenser 350. Similarly, the bottommovable wall 371 has a pair of opposed upwardly extending wall portions375, 376 that are positioned in sliding engagement with the interiorsurfaces of the side walls 353, 354 of the dispenser 350. Each of thesprings 379 are vertically positioned and held in vertical alignment byposts 377, 378 which extend in an opposing manner from the upper andlower movable walls 372, 371. The springs 379 preferably should have asufficient bias to move the lowermost cartridge into an abuttingengagement with the inner surfaces of the inwardly directed flangeportions 364, 365 while the lower movable wall 371 remains in theposition shown in FIG. 4. It is obvious that the biasing means may takeother forms than the pair of springs 379. For example, such biasingmeans may be a single spring having a coiled biasing member at one endthereof and a pair of elongated members extending tangentially from thecoiled member and tending to rotate in counter-radial directions aboutthe axis of the coiled member such that the biasing force is applied tothe opposing surfaces of the two movable walls 372, 371.

A single guide channel 366 is formed on the upper surface of the sidewall 354. When properly orientated, the holder 12 is slid or moved tothe left in sliding engagement with the T-shaped channel 32 in thebottom of the cartridge 10 until the detent 24 (FIG. 1) is in abuttingengagement with one of the recesses 91, 93 of the cartridge 10.

A new cartridge exiting port is formed in the dispenser side wall 353 byopposing parallel surfaces 400, 401 which are interconnected at thelower end by a surface 402 which is perpendicular to the surfaces 400,401. Inwardly directed tabs 362, 363 extend in an opposing manner fromthe opposite surfaces 400, 401 and beneath the flange portions 364, 365.The tabs 362, 363 are sufficiently flexible to permit the passage of thecartridge 10 to the left out of the dispenser 350 by movement of theholder 12 to the left such that the left sides of the flanges on theholder U-shaped channel member 18 are in abutting engagement with stops151, 152 formed in the left side of the T-shaped channel 32. When theuppermost cartridge 10 is removed from the dispenser 350, the nextcartridge 10 is moved into abutting engagement with the undersides ofthe flange portions 364, 365 by action of the springs 379.

A used blade end of the dispenser 350 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Withreference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the used blade access port 396 has inwardlydirected opposing flange members 393, 395. Opposing ramp elements 392are formed on the inner surfaces of the top and bottom walls 352, 351(the ramp element of wall 351 is not shown). A used cartridge 10" isinserted through the port 396 above the opposing flange members 393, 395while the holder 12 is still secured to the cartridge 10". The left sideof the cartridge 10" slides up a ramp surface 394 on each of the rampmembers 392 and moves the lower movable wall 371 upwardly such thattransverse movement of the cartridge 10" to the left as viewed in FIG. 8can be continued. Transverse movement of the used cartridge 10" iscontinued until the inwardly directed surfaces 147, 148 defining theT-shaped channel 32 of the used cartridge 10" rest on horizontalsurfaces 411 of the ramp members 392, and the used cartridge 10' is inthe position as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 8. When a subsequent usedcartridge is ready for placement in the used cartridge end of thedispenser, the above procedure is repeated to push the used cartridge10" upwardly and to locate the subsequent cartridge in the positionshown in dashed lines in FIG. 8.

The lower end 410 of the side wall 354 can be sloped or beveled as shownin FIG. 8 to provide relatively free movement of the used cartridge 10up the ramp surfaces 394 during transmovement thereof into the usedcartridge end 396 of the dispenser 350.

When the used cartridge 10 is seated on the horizontal upper surfaces411 of the ramp members 392, the holder 12 can be removed by transversemovement to the right while maintaining the right side of the usedcartridge 10" in abutting engagement with the inner surface of the sidewall 354. Alternatively, the stop members 151, 152 can be designed toyield to a pressure on the left side of the U-shaped holder channelmember 18, and thus provide for removal of the holder 12 out a port 397defined by opposing vertical surfaces 403, 404 and a horizontal surface405 interconnecting the opposing surfaces 403, 404. Further, the stopmembers 151, 152 can be eliminated and the U-shaped holder channelmember 18 can be removed through the port 397 because the left side ofthe used cartridge 10 is in abutting engagement with an inner surface ofthe side wall 353 as shown in FIG. 8.

Modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention will beobvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope andspirit of the present invention. For example, the port defined bysurfaces 400, 401, 402 can be eliminated and at least one tab can besubstituted for the flange member 364. In this instance, the U-shapedchannel member 18 is positioned in the T-shaped channel of the newcartridge 10 as described hereinabove and the new cartridge isthereafter removed by rotating the handle in a clockwise manner asviewed in FIG. 4. Such rotation will disengage the new cartridge 10 fromthe substituted tab or tabs, and thus permit removal of the cartridgefrom the dispenser 350.

Although specific embodiments have been described hereinabove withreference to two double edge blades in a disposable cartridge, it isobvious that all the aspects of the invention are equally suitable for adis penser and dispensing system for one or any number of single edgeblades bonded in a disposable cartridge or for one or any number ofdouble edge blades bonded in a disposable cartridge. Single edge bladecartridges are disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. Nos. 191,665 and236,723, filed Oct. 22, 1971, and Mar. 21, 1972, and now U.S. Pat. Nos.3,783,510 and 3,785,051, respectively. Alternative double edge bladecartridges are shown in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 258,682, filedJune 1, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,223. U.S. Pat. application Ser.Nos. 191,665, 236,723 and 258,682 are incorporated herein by reference.

What is claimed is:

1. In a razor blade cartridge shaving system comprising a cartridgedispenser, a plurality of razor blade cartridges, and a holder, each ofsaid cartridges including slidably engageable surfaces extendingtransversely thereof, and said holder including an upwardly extendingframe member and a plurality of transverse supporting surfaces at anupper end of said frame member, said transverse supporting surfacesbeing adapted for sliding engagement with said slidably engageablesurfaces; the combination comprising said dispenser including a basewall, a top wall in opposing relationship to said base wall, a pair ofopposing side walls interconnecting said base and top walls, a cartridgedispensing end, means at said cartridge dispensing end for releasablymaintaining unused ones of said cartridges in said dispenser, and a usedcartridge storage end opposite said cartridge dispensing end; said usedcartridge storage end comprising a used cartridge entrance port formedin one of said side walls, a holder exit port formed in the other one ofsaid side walls, said holder exit port being dimensioned to permitpassage of said transverse supporting surfaces therethrough and topreclude removal of a used cartridge therethrough, and a transverseopening for passage of said frame member therethrough, said transverseopening extending between said used cartridge entrance port and saidholder exit port; whereby a used one of said cartridges is positioned insaid used cartridge storage end through said used cartridge entranceport by means of said holder, and said frame member is moved throughsaid transverse opening to remove said transverse supporting surfacesthrough said holder exit port.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transverse opening is formed byopposing flanges extending inwardly from said base and top walls.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said used cartridge storage end furthercomprises means for spacing said used cartridge from said transverseopening.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said spacing means comprises a pair oframp members having said transverse opening therebetween, each of saidramp members including a ramp surface which extends inwardly in thegeneral direction of said cartridge dispensing end and transversely inthe general direction of said holder exit port.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein each of said ramp members furtherincludes a used cartridge rest surface between the ramp surface thereofand said holder exit port.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said dispenser further includes meansfor biasing said unused cartridges in an abutting arrangement to saidcartridge dispensing end with said slidably engageable surfaces of oneof said unused cartridges in position for engagement.

7. In a razor blade cartridge shaving system comprising a cartridgedispenser, a plurality of razor blade cartridges, and a cartridgeholder, each of said cartridges including at least one double edge bladebonded therein and a plurality of underside surfaces forming a channeltransversely thereof, and said holder including an upwardly extendingframe member and a plurality of transverse supporting surfaces on top ofsaid frame member, said transverse supporting surfaces being adapted forsliding engagement with said channel surfaces; the combinationcomprising said dispenser including a base wall, a top wall in opposingrelationship to said base wall, a pair of opposing side wallsinterconnecting said base and top walls, a cartridge dispensing end,means at said cartridge dispensing end for releasably maintaining unusedones of said cartridges in said dispenser, and a used cartridge storageend opposite said cartridge dispensing end; said used cartridge storageend comprising a used cartridge entrance port fon'ned in one of saidside walls, a holder exit port formed in the other one of said sidewalls, said holder exit port being dimensioned to permit passage of saidtransverse supporting surfaces therethrough and to preclude removal of aused cartridge therethrough, and a transverse opening extending betweensaid used cartridge entrance port and said holder exit port, saidtransverse opening being formed by opposing flanges extending inwardlyfrom said base and top walls; whereby a used one of said cartridges ispositioned in said used cartridge storage end through said usedcartridge entrance port by means of said holder, and said frame memberis moved through said transverse opening to abut an end of the usedcartridge against the side wall about said holder exit port and toremove said transverse supporting surfaces through said holder exit portafter disengagement from said channel surfaces on the used cartridge.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said used cartridge storage end furthercomprises means for spacing said used cartridge from said transverseopening.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said spacing means comprises a pair oframp members having said transverse opening therebetween, each of saidramp members including a ramp surface which extends inwardly in thegeneral direction of said cartridge dispensing end and transversely inthe general direction of said holder exit port.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein each of said ramp members furtherincludes a used cartridge rest surface between the ramp surface thereofand said holder exit port.

1. In a razor blade cartridge shaving system comprising a cartridgedispenser, a plurality of razor blade cartridges, and a holder, each ofsaid cartridges including slidably engageable surfaces extendingtransversely thereof, and said holder including an upwardly extendingframe member and a plurality of transverse supporting surfaces at anupper end of said frame member, said transverse supporting surfacesbeing adapted for sliding engagement with said slidably engageablesurfaces; the combination comprising said dispenser including a basewall, a top wall in opposing relationship to said base wall, a pair ofopposing side walls interconnecting said base and top walls, a cartridgedispensing end, means at said cartridge dispensing end for releasablymaintaining unused ones of said cartridges in said dispenser, and a usedcartridge storage end opposite said cartridge dispensing end; said usedcartridge storage end comprising a used cartridge entrance port formedin one of said side walls, a holder exit port formed in the other one ofsaid side walls, said holder exit port being dimensioned to permitpassage of said transverse supporting surfaces therethrough and topreclude removal of a used cartridge therethrough, and a transverseopening for passage of said frame member therethrough, said transverseopening extending between said used cartridge entrance port and saidholder exit port; whereby a used one of said cartridges is positioned insaid used cartridge storage end through said used cartridge entranceport by means of said holder, and said frame member is moved throughsaid transverse opening to remove said transverse supporting surfacesthrough said holder exit port.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein saidtransverse opening is formed by opposing flanges extending inwardly fromsaid base and top walls.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said usedcartridge storage end further comprises means for spacing said usedcartridge from said transverse opening.
 4. The system of claim 3 whereinsaid spacing means comprises a pair of ramp members having saidtransverse opening therebetween, each of said ramp members including aramp surface which extends inwardly in the general direction of saidcartridge dispensing end and transversely in the general direction ofsaid holder exit port.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein each of saidramp members further includes a used cartridge rest surface between theramp surface thereof and said holder exit port.
 6. The system of claim 1wherein said dispenser further includes means for biasing said unusedcartridges in an abutting arrangement to said cartridge dispensing endwith said slidably engageable surfaces of one of said unused cartridgesin position for engagement.
 7. In a razor blade cartridge shaving systemcomprising a cartridge dispenser, a plurality of razor blade cartridges,and a cartridge holder, each of said cartridges including at least onedouble edge blade bonded therein and a plurality of underside surfacesforming a channel transversely thereof, and said holder including anupwardly extending frame member and a plurality of transverse supportingsurfaces on top of said frame member, said transverse supportingsurfaces being adapted for sliding engagement with said channelsurfaces; the combination comprising said dispenser including a basewall, a top wall in opposing relationship to said base wall, a pair ofopposing side walls interconnecting said base and top walls, a cartridgedispensing end, means at said cartridge dispensing end for releasablymaintaining unused ones of said cartridges in said dispenser, and a usedcartridge storage end opposite said cartridge dispensing end; said usedcartridge storage end comprising a used cartridge entrance port formedin one of said side walls, a holder exit port formed in the other one ofsaid side walls, said holder exit port being dimensioned to permitpassage of said transverse supporting surfaces therethrough and topreclude removal of a used cartridge therethrough, and a transverseopening extending between said used cartridge entrance port and saidholder exit port, said transverse opening being formed by opposingflanges extending inwardly from said base and top walls; whereby a usedone of said cartridges is positioned in said used cartridge storage endthrough said used cartridge entrance port by means of said holder, andsaid frame member is moved through said transverse opening to abut anend of the used cartridge against the side wall about said holder exitport and to remove said transverse supporting surfaces through saidholder exit port after disengagement from said channel surfaces on theused cartridge.
 8. The system of claim 7 wherein said used cartridgestorage end further comprises means for spacing said used cartridge fromsaid transverse opening.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein said spacingmeans comprises a pair of ramp members having said transverse openingtherebetween, each of said ramp members including a ramp surface whichextends inwardly in the general direction of said cartridge dispensingend and transversely in the general direction of said holder exit port.10. The system of claim 9 wherein each of said ramp members furtherincludes a used cartridge rest surface between the ramp surface thereofand said holder exit port.